Richard Gere’s two-decade exile from the Oscar stage wasn’t something that kept him up at night.
The Hollywood icon recently opened up about his 20-year ban from presenting at the Academy Awards, revealing a surprisingly zen attitude about the whole ordeal.
His crime? Speaking out for Tibetan independence during the 1993 ceremony when he was supposed to be focused solely on handing out awards.
But Gere’s approach to the controversy reflects a deeper philosophy—one influenced by his longtime friendship with the Dalai Lama and his unwavering commitment to human rights.
No Hard Feelings About the Ban
In a candid interview with Variety, Gere shared his perspective on being blacklisted from Oscar presentations for two decades after his politically charged comments.
I didn’t take it particularly personally. I didn’t think there were any bad guys in the situation. I do what I do and I certainly don’t mean anyone any harm.
The American Gigolo star’s comments came while discussing Wisdom of Happiness, a documentary about the Dalai Lama that he executive-produced.
His stance reveals someone who views activism not as confrontation, but as advocacy rooted in compassion.
What Gere Actually Said That Night
During the 1993 Academy Awards, Gere was presenting the award for Best Art Direction when he went completely off-script.
He directly addressed Deng Xiaoping, China’s powerful leader who had recently resigned from most official positions but still wielded enormous influence.
I wonder if Deng Xiaoping is actually watching this right now, with his children and his grandchildren, and with the knowledge that what a horrendous, horrendous human rights situation there is in China. Not only towards their own people, but to Tibet as well.
Gere didn’t stop there. He continued with what can only be described as an unusually optimistic appeal for a major awards show.
If something miraculous and really kind of movie-like could happen here, where we could all kind of send love and truth, and a kind of sanity to Deng Xiaoping right now in Beijing that he will take his troops, and take the Chinese away from Tibet, and allow these people to live as free independent people again…
The audience initially applauded, but Academy leadership was not pleased.
The Academy’s Response
Bob Rehme, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences at the time, made the organization’s position crystal clear.
According to the Los Angeles Times, he criticized presenters for injecting politics into entertainment.
The show’s about movies, about people’s work in movies, about entertainment. It’s not supposed to be about political activities around the world [no matter] how much individually we might support any one of those causes.
The result? Gere wouldn’t present at the Oscars again until 2013—a full 20 years later.
A Philosophy Rooted in Redemption
Gere explained that his approach to advocacy stems directly from his relationship with the Dalai Lama and Buddhist principles.
He clarified what he does intend to harm through his activism:
I mean to harm anger. I mean to harm exclusion. I mean to harm human rights abuses. But I try to stay as close to where His Holiness comes from… that everyone is redeemable and in the end, everyone has to be redeemed or none of us [are]. So in that sense, I don’t take it personally.
This perspective helps explain why Gere harbors no resentment toward the Academy.
He views the situation through a lens of universal redemption rather than personal grievance.
Never Discussed With the Dalai Lama
Surprisingly, Gere revealed he’s never actually talked about the Oscars controversy with the Dalai Lama himself.
It never came up. They’ll tell him once in a while if I get an award or something and he sends a note, congratulating me, that he’s happy for me. But that’s about as close as it gets to actually talking about movies.
The spiritual leader’s lack of concern about Hollywood politics speaks volumes about what truly matters in their relationship.
The Return in 2013
Gere did attend the 2003 Oscars to support Chicago, which won six Academy Awards including Best Picture.
But he didn’t return to the presentation stage until 2013, when he reunited with Chicago co-stars Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renée Zellweger, and Queen Latifah for the film’s 10th anniversary celebration.
They presented awards for Best Original Song and Best Original Score together.
At the time, Gere told the Huffington Post with characteristic humor:
Apparently, I’ve been rehabilitated. It seems if you stay around long enough, they forget they’ve banned you.
Standing Firm on Principles
Gere’s commitment to Tibetan independence and human rights has remained unwavering throughout his career.
He considers the Dalai Lama a friend and has been a longtime advocate for Tibet’s freedom from Chinese control.
His 1993 Oscars speech wasn’t an isolated incident—it was part of decades of consistent activism.
What makes Gere’s story compelling isn’t just that he spoke out at the world’s biggest entertainment event. It’s that he did so knowing there would be consequences, accepted those consequences without bitterness, and continued his advocacy regardless.
His ability to maintain his principles while refusing to harbor resentment offers a masterclass in purpose-driven activism rooted in compassion rather than anger.